Sir Ernest Shackleton | Explore Royal Museums Greenwich Sir Ernest Shackleton Share Sir Ernest Shackleton was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer, who made three expeditions to the continent, most famously in 1914 on the Endurance. Who was Ernest Shackleton? He was born in southern Ireland, but grew up in London. He joined the merchant navy when he was 16 and worked on many different ships. Shackleton was a romantic adventurer, who became interested in exploration and joined the Royal Geographical Society while still at sea. In 1901 he got a place on Captain Robert Falcon Scott's first Antarctic expedition. This ignited his passion for Antarctic exploration. When did Shackleton lead his first expedition to Antarctica? In 1907, he led his own Antarctic expedition in the Nimrod. Other members of the expedition climbed Mount Erebus and reached the south magnetic pole. Shackleton himself led a party, which reached 97 miles short of the South Pole. He received a hero's welcome when he returned to England and was knighted. What was the purpose of Shackleton’s 1914 Antarctic expedition?

In 1914, in command of a party on the ship Endurance, Shackleton set off to cross the Antarctic from one side to the other, from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. As both Amundsen and Scott had reached the South Pole and the Americans had reached the North Pole, he saw this as the last great challenge. What happened during this expedition? Shackleton and his men set sail in August 1914, just as war was starting in Europe. On 19 January 1915, Endurance became locked in the ice of the Weddell Sea. Over the course of the next nine months the ship was gradually crushed, finally sinking on 27 October. It proved impossible for the 28 men to drag their boats and stores across the frozen sea, so Shackleton camped on the ice and drifted with it. When the ice began to break up, the men launched the three boats and in dangerous conditions, managed to reach Elephant Island. This rocky and barren island was still more than 800 miles from the nearest inhabited land with people who could help them. What did Shackleton decide to do?

He decided to leave most of the party behind, while he and five others set out on the James Caird to reach South Georgia, the nearest inhabited island, 800 miles away. He knew that he would find help there, at the Norwegian whaling stations on the north side. After 15 exhausting days at sea, the crew of the James Caird finally sighted South Georgia. Did they find the help they needed? No, because they were on the uninhabited side of the island. To get to the whaling stations, they had to cross the unmapped island to the other side. Shackleton led, taking Tom Crean and Frank Worsley, the expert navigator on the James Caird, who also had mountaineering experience. The journey involved a climb of nearly 3000 feet (914 metres). Apart from short breaks they marched continuously for 36 hours, covering some 40 miles over mountainous and icy terrain, until they finally reached the Stromness whaling station. What happened to the other crewmen? They were all rescued.

Those on Elephant Island had to wait longer, until 30 August 1916, but were eventually picked up by Shackleton on a Chilean navy tug. All the men believed that their survival was due largely to his tremendous leadership. What happened to Shackleton? He died of a heart attack, on 5 January 1922. He was on his way to the Antarctic again, on board another ship the Quest, at Grytviken, South Georgia. The Death of Sir Ernest Shackleton - January 5th 1922, South Georgia. Sir Ernest Shackleton dies at South Georgia Shackleton-Rowett Expedition The expedition ship the Quest arrived in South Georgia on January 4th 1922. Sir Ernest Shackleton was sailing South again. This expedition which had been financed by Shackleton’s friend, John Quiller Rowett, intended circumnavigating Antarctica. Tom Crean who was now married, had politely refused Shackleton’s request to join him on the expedition, stating that he now had ‘a long haired pal’ to look after.

Two of the crew on board when the Quest left Plymouth were Boy Scouts, James Slessor Marr and Norman Mooney, who had come through a rigorous competition, before being selected by Shackleton, for the honour of travelling with him to Antarctica. Shackleton was an admirer of the Boy Scout movement, and had arranged the competition with Baden Powell. After encountering rough seas in the Bay of Biscay, the Quest had to detour to Lisbon for repairs, and the seriously seasick Scout, Norman Mooney left the expedition. James Slessor Marr would continue the voyage, and aided by Shackleton, he began a journal of his travels aboard the Quest, which would later be published as Into The Frozen South , by Scout Marr. Into the Frozen South When the Quest anchored at Grytviken, South Georgia, Shackleton visited the nearby whaling station before returning, and retiring to his cabin. In the early hours of January 5th, Shackleton summoned Alexander Macklin, the ships physician, to the cabin, and complained of feeling unwell. A short time later Shackleton suffered a suspected heart attack, and died. At the request of his wife, Sir Ernest Shackleton was buried in South Georgia.

Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Grave – Grytviken, South Georgia Sir Ernest Shackleton died on this day in 1922. A true leader of men, Shackleton had ventured South with Robert Falcon Scott, aboard the Discovery, before setting a Farthest South record when he commanded the Nimrod Expedition , and journeyed to within 97 miles of the South Pole. At this point Shackleton displayed the great traits of leadership, that would forge his name into the annals of Antarctic heroes. He correctly surmised that should he, Wild, Marshall and Adams forge ahead, they would in all probability be the first to stand at the pole, but would, with greater certainty, die on their return journey. Shackleton Sets a New Farthest South Record – Nimrod Shackleton put the lives of his men before his own personal glory, and at latitude 88° 23′ S, which they reached on 9th January, 1909 , they turned for home. Lack of provisions to sustain the entire effort was the crucial factor in this decision.

As the return journey descended into a desperate battle for survival, which all four were extremely fortunate to survive, the astuteness of Shackleton’s decision was lost on very few. Nonetheless Shackleton felt somewhat a failure, having come so close, and being yet so far. He wrote to his wife on the matter, stating that he imagined she would prefer a “live donkey to a dead lion.” Shackleton – Farthest South – Nimrod Expedition Eric Marshall, Frank Wild and Ernest Shackleton at their Farthest South latitude, 88°23’S. Nimrod expedition 9 January 1909. But the Nimrod Expedition was far from a failure. Shackleton had stood further south than any other human, and had pioneered the route to the Polar Plateau, via the Beardmore Glacier, which upon discovering, he named after his main sponsor Sir William Beardsmore . He would, upon his return, receive a knighthood, and much public and academic acclaim for his heroic efforts. He undertook an extensive lecture tour, but as time wore on Shackleton craved adventure, and a return to the ice. In 1914 he would venture south again.

His greatest moments as a leader came after his expedition ship Endurance was trapped and crushed by the ice of the Weddell Sea. Cast adrift on the frozen Southern Ocean, with three tiny lifeboats, the men somehow conspired to endure, overcome and survive. Over ice, sea and land Shackleton led his 27 crew, to eventual safety, in an utterly unbelievable story of bravery heroism and endurance. Remembering Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton Statue. On Tuesday, August 30th, 2016 a statue of Sir Ernest Shackleton by the sculptor Mark Richards was unveiled in Shackleton’s home town of Athy in Co. Kildare. The statue was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Kildare, Ivan Keatly, to coincide with the centenary of Shackleton’s rescue of the Endurance crew, after an epic, and now legendary ordeal, in 1916. Present for the ceremony in Athy, were Shackleton family members including his grand daughter Alexandra Shackleton and second cousins Arthur and Jonathan Shackleton. Shackleton Statue unveiling – Athy 2016.

Mayor of Kildare, Ivan Keatley, and special guest The Honourable Alexandra Shackleton, granddaughter of the explorer, with the sculpture of Ernest Shackleton in Emily Square, Athy. SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON ANTARCTIC EXPLORER AND THE ENDURANCE | GREAT EXPLORERS AND ADVENTURERS OF THE WORLD Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton CVO, RNR (February 15, 1874 ï¿½ January 5, 1922) was an Anglo-Irish explorer, now chiefly remembered for his Antarctic expedition of 1914ï¿½1916 in the ship Endurance. After Captain Scott died during an attempt to reach the South Pole in 1912, Shackleton (1874ï¿½1922) chose to tackle the challenge of Antarctica in a different way. He decided he would attempt to journey across the icy continent from one side to the other via the South Pole. Shackleton was a romantic adventurer, who became interested in exploration and joined the Royal Geographical Society while still at sea.

In 1901 he got a place on Captain Scott's first Antarctic expedition, in the Discovery, through his seafaring skills and contact with one of the expedition sponsors. In 1907, he led his own British Antarctic Expedition in the Nimrod. Other members of the expedition climbed Mount Erebus and reached the south magnetic pole. Using ponies and also dragging his own sledges Shackleton himself led a party which reached to only 97 miles from the Pole. Although there had not been much government support beforehand, Shackleton received a hero's welcome when he returned. He was knighted, becoming Sir Ernest Shackleton. Portrait of Ernest Henry Shackleton ABOUT ANTARCTICA Antarctica is an enormous continent. More than 99% of it is covered by ice. In places, this ice is more than three miles thick. Antarctica is completely surrounded by the vast Southern Ocean, half of which freezes in winter. It is high, windy and extremely cold. There is no indigenous human population and no life forms at all except around the coast More than 2000 years ago, Greek writers described a large mass of land in the south of the world.

Even though they had never seen it, they believed it must exist so that it could 'balance' the land they knew about in the northern half of the world. They named this imagined land 'Anti-Arkitos', meaning the 'opposite of the Arctic'. Did explorers before Shackleton try to reach the Antarctic? Yes. For instance, Captain Cook had tried to find the great southern continent on his second Pacific voyage of 1772ï¿½74. In 1912, an expedition led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott had been narrowly beaten in the race to be first to the South Pole by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. BIOGRAPHY Shackleton was born in Kilkee, County Clare, Ireland in 1874, and served as a merchant marine officer. He went to school at Dulwich College from 1887 to 1890. In 1904 he married Emily Dorman. They had three children - Raymond, Cecily and Edward (Eddie), born in 1911.

Their marriage was marred by numerous affairs on Ernest's part, most notably his relationship with the American born actress Rosalind Chetwynd (Rosa Lynd) which was begun in 1910 and continued on and off until his death in 1922. 1901 National Antarctic Expedition Shackleton participated in the National Antarctic Expedition, which was organized by the Royal Geographical Society in 1901, and led by Robert Falcon Scott. This expedition is also called the "Discovery Expedition", as its ship was called Discovery. The expedition was the first to penetrate the Ross Sea and reach the Ross Ice Shelf. He may have placed what has become one of the world's most famous advertisements in the Times of London in December 1901: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful.

Honour and recognition in case of success." (Some historians have claimed that this ad was placed, although they do not all agree on when or which newspaper, but no one has yet been able to locate the original newspaper clipping; see [Arctic Circle] for discussion.) 1902 attempt on the South Pole Shackleton with Scott and Dr Edward Wilson trekked south towards the South Pole in 1902. The journey proceeded under difficult conditions, partially the result of their own inexperience with the Antarctic environment, poor choices and preparation and the pervading assumption that all obstacles could be overcome with personal fortitude. They used dogs, but failed to understand how to handle them. As with most of the early British expeditions, food was foolishly in short supply; the personnel on long treks were usually underfed by any sensible measure and were essentially starving. Scott, Wilson and Shackleton made their "furthest south" of 82ï¿½17'S on December 31, 1902. They were 463 nautical miles (857 km) from the Pole. Shackleton developed scurvy on the return trip and Dr. Wilson suffered from snow blindness at intervals.

When Morning relieved the expedition in early 1903, Scott had Shackleton returned to England, though he had nearly fully recovered. There is some suggestion that Scott disliked Shackleton's popularity in the expedition and used his health as an excuse to remove him; he was Merchant Marine and Scott was Royal Navyï¿½which was also part of the contention with whether Albert Armitage was to remain for the second winter. In part, Scott exhibited unusual stamina and may not have recognized differing abilities of others. 1907ï¿½1909 British Antarctic Expedition Shackleton organized and led the "British Antarctic Expedition" (1907ï¿½1909) to Antarctica. The primary and stated goal was to reach the South Pole. The expedition is also called the Nimrod Expedition after its ship, and the "Farthest South" expedition.

Shackleton's base camp was built on Ross Island at Cape Royds, approximately 20 miles (40 km) north of the Scott's Hut of the 1901ï¿½1904 expedition; the hut built at this camp in 1908 is on the list of the World Monuments Watch's 100 most endangered sites. Because of poor success with dogs during Scott's 1901ï¿½1904 expedition, Shackleton used Manchurian ponies for transport, which did not prove successful. Accomplishments of the expedition included the first ascent of Mount Erebus, the active volcano of Ross Island; the location of the Magnetic South Pole by Douglas Mawson, Edgeworth David and MacKay (January 16, 1909); and locating the Beardmore Glacier passage. Shackleton, with Wild, Marshall, and Adams, reached 88ï¿½23'S: a point only 180 km (97 nautical miles) from the South Pole.

While the expedition did not make it to the pole, nonetheless, Shackleton, Adams, Marshall, and Wild were the first humans to not only cross the Trans-Antarctic mountain range, but also the first humans to set foot on the South Polar Plateau. Shackleton returned to the United Kingdom a hero and was immediately knighted. For three years he was able to bask in the glory of being "the man who reached furthest to the south." Of his failure to reach the South Pole, Shackleton remarked: "Better a live donkey than a dead lion." It should, however, be pointed out that Shackleton and his group were exceedingly fortunate to return from the Pole. They had cut rations severely, such that there was no margin of safety. They had very good weather throughout their return, in contrast to Scott's experience three years later. Sir Ernest Shackletonï¿½s Expedition Hut - Cape Royds, Ross Island, Antarctica Built in 1908, Sir Ernest Shackletonï¿½s Hut at Cape Royds is one of six wooden building ensembles remaining on Earthï¿½s southernmost continent from the heroic age of Antarctic exploration.

Used as an expedition base and laboratory for scientific research, the building was designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Ernest Shackleton's hut Antarctica - endangered monument A century of Antarctic blizzards later, the hut is in surprisingly good condition, but it has begun to suffer the ravages of time and increased human visitation, and is in need of urgent conservation. Shortly before the siteï¿½s placement on WMFï¿½s 2004 list of 100 Most Endangered Sites, the New Zealand-based Antarctic Heritage Trust had completed a comprehensive conservation masterplan for the building and the artifacts associated with it that includes measures needed to maintain the site, which would take an estimated five years and $3.8 million to implement. Since listing, the hut has attracted increased media visibility and has accrued grants totaling more than $350,000 toward its preservation. Efforts to remediate the immediate threat posed by decaying stores left outside the hut were completed during the astral summer 2004ï¿½2005, while the development of methods to address specific conservation problems at the site is well underway.

Far more must be done, however, before the site is out of danger, which is why Shackletonï¿½s Hut remains on WMFï¿½s 2006 Watch list. The need to increase international support for preserving the hut is underscored by the ambiguous legal status of the explorersï¿½ huts under the Antarctic Treaty and the physical challenge of carrying out preservation work in such an extreme environment. 1914ï¿½1916 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set out from London on August 1, 1914 with the goal of crossing the Antarctic from a location near Vahsel Bay on the south side of the Weddell Sea, reach the South Pole and then continue to Ross Island on the opposite side of the continent. The expedition's goal had to be abandoned when the ship, Endurance, was beset by sea ice short of its goal of Vahsel Bay. It was later crushed by the pack ice. The ship's crew and the expedition personnel endured an epic journey by sledge across the Weddell Sea pack and then boat to Elephant Island.

Upon arrival at Elephant Island off the Antarctic Peninsula, they rebuilt one of their small boats and Shackleton with five others set sail for South Georgia to seek help. This remarkable journey in the 6.7-meter boat James Caird through the Drake Passage to South Georgia in the late Antarctic Fall (April and May) is perhaps without rival. They landed on the southern coast of South Georgia and then crossed the spine of the island in an equally remarkable 36-hour journey. The 22 men who remained on Elephant Island were rescued by the Chilean ship Yelcho after three other failed attempts on August 30, 1916 (22 months after departing from South Georgia). Everyone from Endurance survived. What was Shackleton's most difficult journey of exploration? In 1914, in command of a party in the ship Endurance, Shackleton set off to cross the Antarctic from one side to the other, from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea. As both Amundsen and Scott had reached the South Pole and the Americans had reached the North Pole, he saw this as the last great challenge. Although the expedition failed because Shackleton did not reach the South Pole, in other ways it was his biggest success.

He triumphed over enormous difficulties to bring his men safely home after the Endurance was trapped and crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea. To do so, he made an incredible journey to get help. Shackleton and his men set sail in August 1914, just as war was starting in Europe. On 19 January 1915, Endurance became locked in the ice of the Weddell Sea. Over the course of the next nine months the ship was gradually crushed, finally sinking on 27 October. It proved impossible for the 28 men to drag their boats and stores across the frozen sea so Shackleton camped on the ice and drifted with it. When the ice began to break up as it drifted north into warmer waters, the men launched the three boats and, in dangerous conditions, managed to reach Elephant Island. This rocky and barren island was still more than 800 miles from the nearest inhabited land with people who could help them. They were cold and exhausted, and weak from the hardships of the journey. They knew they would not be found and could not all sail further. They were also worried that their supplies of food would not last long.

There were seals and penguins to kill for food and fuel but not many and they eventually had to rely on collecting shellfish. Portrait of Sir Ernest Shackleton, 1874ï¿½1922 He decided to leave most of the party behind, while he set out in a boat to reach South Georgia, the nearest inhabited island, 800 miles away. He knew that he would find help there, at the Norwegian whaling stations on the north side. No. He and five others left in the best of their ship's boats, the James Caird. Although it was winter and the Southern Ocean is the stormiest in the world, they knew the plan was their best hope for the survival of the whole party. When the six set sail, the rest of the group were left behind to make camp on Elephant Island. The James Caird was just over 7 metres long and 2 metres wide. Did Shackleton make any changes to the boat before they set sail? Yes. The carpenter, 'Chippy' McNeish, made the bottom of the boat stronger, and stretched a canvas deck over most of it to give some shelter. The journey was extremely dangerous.

On many occasions, the six believed they were about to sink in the terrifying conditions they encountered, with waves which seemed as high as mountains and violent storms. They were constantly wet and cold and one of the biggest dangers they faced was the weight of the ice collecting on the boat as the sea-spray froze. Several times they risked their lives hacking it off to prevent the boat capsizing. They also had a real fear that their water would run out before they made land. After 15 exhausting days at sea, they finally sighted South Georgia. They found it very difficult to find a place to land their boat safely, and were forced by gale, which nearly wrecked them on the coast, to spend two more nights at sea. Eventually, they managed to get into a cove in King Haakon Bay on the south of the island. To their relief, they found a stream with fresh water almost immediately. They found a cliff overhang where they could shelter and light a fire for warmth. No, because they were on the uninhabited side of the island. To get to the whaling stations for help, someone had to cross the unmapped island to the other side. This would mean climbing high mountains that had never been crossed before.

Shackleton led, taking the tough seaman Tom Crean and Frank Worsley, the expert navigator on the James Caird, who also had mountaineering experience. The journey involved a climb of nearly 3000 feet (914 metres). They did not take a tent and could not rest for long because they could easily freeze to death if they fell asleep in the snow. Apart from short breaks they marched continuously for 36 hours, covering some 40 miles over mountainous and icy terrain. They heard the steam-whistle of the Stromness whaling station, signalling the start of another day's work at 07.00. After scrambling down a final ridge, the three men at last reached people who could help them. They were all rescued. Those on Elephant Island had to wait longer, until 30 August 1916, but were eventually picked up by Shackleton on a Chilean navy tug. All the men believed that their survival was due largely to his tremendous leadership. Many would have believed it impossible to bring all his men home with no lives lost. Many of his men were to return immediately to the harsh reality of the First World War.

Tragically, after surviving so many dangers with Shackleton, some were to perish in it. 1921 Final expedition In 1921, Shackleton set out on another Antarctic expedition, but died of a heart attack on board his ship, the Quest, while anchored off South Georgia Island on January 5, 1922. His body was being returned to England when his widow requested that the burial take place on Grytviken, South Georgia Island instead. Shackleton was buried there on March 5. Nowadays, the southern continent is shared between 27 nations that have scientists based there. The things they study include changes in climate and the destruction of the ozone layer. For further information about the Antarctic today visit the British Antarctic Survey website . Legacy In 1994, the James Caird Society was set up to preserve the memory of Shackleton's achievements. Its first Life President was Shackleton's younger son, Edward Shackleton. Sir Ernest Shackleton is the subject of Shackleton, a two-part Channel 4 drama directed by Charles Sturridge and starring Kenneth Branagh as the explorer.

The same story is related in greater detail in the book Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, by Alfred Lansing. Shackleton's grave, near the former whaling station at Grytviken on South Georgia is frequently visited by tourists from passing cruise ships. The British Antarctic Survey's logistics vessel RRS Ernest Shackleton (the replacement for RRS Bransfield) is named in his honour.

Works by Shackleton The Heart of the Antarctic: The Story of the British Antarctic Expedition 1907 -1909 by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Collins) ISBN 1903464285 Shackleton: The Polar Journeys: Incorporating the "Heart of the Antarctic" and "South" by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Collins, 2002) ISBN 1903464269 South: Journals of His Last Expedition to Antarctica by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Robson Books, 1999) ISBN 1861052790 South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-17 by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Ebury Press, 1991) ISBN 0712639276 Endurance: Shackletons Incredible Voyage by Ernest Henry, Sir Shackleton, Christopher Ralling (Peter Bedrick Books, 1986) ISBN 0872260828 Aurora Australis by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Paradigm Press, 1986) ISBN 094828507

9 South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-17 by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Heinemann, 1970) ISBN 0434695009 Biographies and histories Polar Castaways: The Ross Sea Party Of Sir Ernest Shackleton, 1914-17 by Richard McElrea (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2004) ISBN 0773528253 Shackleton by Roland Huntford.

2nd edition 1996, Abacus History, London. 774pp ISBN 0349107440 Shackleton's Forgotten Expedition: The Voyage of the Nimrod by Beau Riffenburgh (Bloomsbury USA, 2004) ISBN 1582344884 South with Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition, 1914-1917 by Frank Hurley (Simon & Schuster, 2001) ISBN 074322292X Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tale of an Antarctic Tragedy by Lennard Bickel, Rt. Hon. Lord Shackleton (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2000) ISBN 1560252561 Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition by Dennis N. T. Perkins, Margaret P. Holtman, Paul R.

Kessler, Catherine McCarthy (American Management Association, 2000) ISBN 0814405436 The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander (Knopf, 1998) ISBN 0375404031 DVDs Shackleton - The Greatest Survival Story of All Time Kenneth Branagh (A&E Home Video, 2002) ISBN B000063TON The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition Liam Neeson (Columbia Tristar, 2000) ISBN B0000A7W16 Ernest Henry Shackleton | Endurance Obituaries Ernest Henry Shackleton BORN : KILKEA. ATHY. KILDARE. IRELAND DIED : GRYTVIKEN. SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND NICKNAME : BOSS DUTY : EXPEDITION LEADER C.V.O. O.B.E. (Military) Polar Medal ( Three Clasps ) Ernest was born in County Kildare Ireland, and was the eldest of two sons born to Henry and Henrietta Letitia Sophia Shackleton.

Shackleton’s family descent from a small village named Shackleton in South Yorkshire. England on his father’s side, and from Ireland on his mother’s side. Whilst he was fated to live to the age of only 47, he led a most remarkable life. Shackleton’s life is very well documented. Here is a very brief Chronology of his life: Born Kilkea House. Athy. Co. Kildare . Ireland 1880 His family moved to 35 Marlborough Rd. Dublin. 1884 His family moved to South Croydon. London. 1887-90 Attended Dulwich College.Noted as being “not a particularly bright scholar”. 1890-94 Joined the mercantile marine as an apprentice and sailed with the White Star Line ship “ Hoghton Tower “ 1894 Qualified as Master in Singapore. 1898-1901 Served on a number of ships as 4th or 3rd officer. 1901 Joined Scott’s Antarctic expedition as a junior officer on the “Discovery”. 1902 Chosen by Scott along with Wilson, to make the Southern journey.

Reached furthest South at 82 15’S.suffered with scurvy on return leg. 1903 Returned home on the “Morning”. Left the navy. Became sub-editor of Royal Scottish Geographical Society. 1904 Married Emily Mary Dorman.at Christ Church. Westminster. 1905 Stood for Parliament. Unsuccessful. Daughter Cecily born. 1908 Shackleton’s ship “Nimrod” sails from New Zealand for Antarctica. 1909 Reached furthest South, within 97 miles of the Pole. A heavily retouched photograph of Shackleton taken on the Nimrod in 1909 shortly after his epic sledging journey. Gave evidence to Titanic Commission. Son Edward born. 1913 Announced intended Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. 1914 Endurance sails from Plymouth and reaches Antarctic Circle. 1915 Endurance trapped in ice in Weddell Sea and sinks. 1916 Boat journey to Elephant Island. Shackleton and 5 others make open boat journey to South Georgia and cross the island. Shackleton rescues 22 men from Elephant Island on 4th attempt.

1917 Shackleton on Aurora reaches survivors of the Ross Sea Party. 1918 Becomes Major in Army, and posted to Northern Russia. 1919 Began to plan Quest Expedition. Sails from Plymouth and reaches Rio. South America. 1922 Reaches South Georgia and died from Coronary Thrombosis on board the Quest on the eve of arrival. Once the South Pole had been reached by Amundsen, Shackleton, ever the showman and not to be outdone, announced in 1913 his intention to cross the Antarctic continent via the Pole. One of his greatest virtues was that of marketing and P.R. He concentrated a great deal of his time in raising the funds needed to finance what was seen by many as a fool-hardy idea. The following example of his letter to 200 people asking to donate £50 to the cause gives one an idea of his promotional skills Shackleton’s original letter asking for the final £10,000 to fund his 1914-16 I.T.A.E. Photo © After the Endurance expedition, almost all of the ship’s crew played a part in WW1.

In 1917 Shackleton was sent to South America by the British Government on a propaganda exercise to try and drum up what support he could for the allies from neutral countries. He returned home and was posted as Major, with the North Russian Expeditionary force in charge of supplies. In February 1919 he resigned his post. This picture taken from a rare lantern slide , shows the S.Y. Endurance in all her glory in early August 1914, still in her wonderful white livery. Shackleton had been dogged with ill health for a number of years, even before the Endurance expedition. This did not stop him from planning one final trip South. John Quiller Rowett, a friend from his Dulwich College days, was persuaded by Shackleton to finance an expedition. He had originally intended to explore the Beaufort Sea on behalf of the Canadian Government, but this fell through. Instead the “Quest” set sail from England in September 1921, her main mission was to explore the regions around Enderby Land. The Quest reached South Georgia on 4th January 1922 after much delay due to engine failure.

At around 2:45 am on 5th January Shackleton began to suffer from acute chest pains, Dr. Macklin was summoned. Ten minutes later Shackleton lay dead. Cause of death was a massive heart attack. His body was at first sent on its way back to England. But at the wishes of his wife Emily, the ship turned around and he was laid to rest two months later by the crew of the Quest on South Georgia. Shackleton’s grave , photo taken 1929. © J.F.Mann. The famous historian of the time R.N. Rudmose Brown, perhaps summed up the man Shackleton in the minimum of words, when he wrote: “Shackleton found in polar exploration an outlet for his restless energy, love of adventure, and zest for life. In the more orderly walks of civilisation his lack of convention, his intolerance of shams, and his impetuous candour made him less easy to satisfy.

His success as an explorer lay in the boldness of his conceptions, his resourcefulness, and his good leadership.” Frank Worsley wrote that in the 22 years of his life that Shackleton devoted to Polar work : “He had forced his way to within 97 miles of the South Pole and had returned with all his men. He discovered the Beardmore Glacier and added over 200 miles of Antarctic coastline to the map. He had been the means of enabling the Magnetic South Pole to be located." Shackleton achieved other firsts. He and his men from Endurance,were the first ever to set foot on Elephant Island . He made the fist ever crossing of Drakes Passage in an open boat from Elephant Island to South Georgia. He was the first to trek across the interior of South Georgia. Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton, are the men most remembered from the golden age of polar exploration. Amundsen for reaching the South Pole first. Scott for being second , and paying the ultimate price with his life. Shackleton was perhaps the odd one out. As an explorer he achieved hardly any of his intended goals.

He was a bad businessman and something of a womaniser and was not a particularly good Husband or father to his children. He was a well read man and lover of poetry and quite a good writer of poems himself. Those who served under Shackleton and knew him, came to admire him for his free spirit and love of adventure. He took many risks and sometimes made bad judgements, yet he always pulled through and put the well being of his men before anything else. His greatness lay in his natural ability to lead and inspire those who were in his care. All he asked in return was their loyalty.During his years in Antarctica he never lost a single man under his protection. He received many awards and honours during his lifetime, not just from Great Britain, but also from around the world. He is remembered in perpetuity in Canada where Mount Shackleton is named after him. In Antarctica, the Shackleton Ice Shelf, and Shackleton Inlet. In Greenland where there is also a Mount Shackleton, and London where his statue by Charles Jagger stands outside the Royal Geographical Society building in Kensington. He even had an aircraft named after him, the Avro Shackleton.

The Avro Shackleton aircraft On 2nd March 1922 a memorial service was held for him at St. Paul’s Cathedral. London. Among the many dignitaries in attendance were King George V and Queen Mary. Shackleton’s story has always been over shadowed by Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s epic trek to the South Pole. WW1 was still raging when Shackleton and his men returned home from the Endurance expedition. The British public and press had more important things on their minds at the time. It was only after WWII , long after Shackleton’s death that his story gained worldwide acknowledgment. He was without doubt one of the 20th Centuries true heroic figures. Amundsen wrote of Shackleton: “Sir Ernest Shackleton's name will for evermore be engraved with letters of fire in the history of Antarctic Exploration. Courage and willpower can make miracles. I know of no better example that what that man has accomplished.” In 2002 a national telephone pole was held in the U.K. to establish who were the 100 Greatest Britain’s of all time. Robert Falcon Scott ranked No.54. Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton No.11. !

Sir Winston Churchill, who had doubted the merits of Shackleton’s 1914/16 expedition, was voted No.1. Awards Received by Shackleton British Awards: 1904 Sir Ernest Shackleton and Karl Marx died in poverty, probate records show - Telegraph UK News Sir Ernest Shackleton and Karl Marx died in poverty, probate records show As one of Britain’s most successful polar explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton was honoured by the king, feted by the press and adored by the public. Sir Ernest Shackleton and Karl Marx Photo: AP By Matthew Moore 7:30AM BST 11 Aug 2010 But newly-published records reveal how the hero of the Endurance and Nimrod expeditions spent his final years in relative poverty, dying with just £556 after a string of failed business enterprises and costly adventures. Sir Ernest’s desultory legacy – worth around £20,000 today – is among more than six million probate records published online for the first time, giving historians unprecedented access to the wills of Victorian and Edwardian notables including Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens and DH Lawrence.

The explorer, who is best known for leading his Endurance crew to safety after their ship froze into the Antarctic ice, died on the island of South Georgia in 1922 while attempting to recreate the glory his youth with a final polar expedition on a new vessel, Quest. Unsuccessful spells in the City and manufacturing had failed to build his fortune, and Shackleton was forced to make ends meet in his later years with gruelling lecture tours and the occasional newspaper article. The small sum Sir Ernest left to his wife Emily was dwarfed by debts estimated at £40,000 – the equivalent of £1.5 million today. Related Articles Charles Dickens's unhappy marriage among 18 million parish records put online 16 Sep 2009 Another historical figure to die to penury, if not obscurity, was Karl Marx, author of The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. The German political thinker and revolutionary, who lived much of his life as an exile in London, left just £250 (£23,000 in today’s money) to his youngest daughter Eleanor on his death in 1883.

In 1900 Oscar Wilde left just £250 after dying in a decrepit Paris hotel, where he had fled after serving a jail term for homosexuality. Months earlier the wit behind The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest had written a plaintive letter to his publisher: "This poverty really breaks one's heart" But the records published by genealogy website Ancestry.co.uk, which cover the years 1861 to 1941, also include 19th Century celebrities who did manage to cash in on their fame. Dickens, who died in 1870 with his final novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood still unfinished, left “effects under £80,000” (£7.1 million), while the naturalist Darwin was recorded as bequeathing a personal estate worth £146,911 (£13 million). Other well-known names whose legacies are summarised in the records include England cricketer WG Grace, who left £7,278, writer Lewis Carroll, £4,145, and former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, £84,013.

DH Lawrence, author of Sons and Lovers and To The Rainbow, left £2,438 to his wife Frieda and brother George following his tuberculosis-related death in a rented villa in Provence in 1930. The documents published by Ancestry.co.uk are from “probate calendar books” collated annually following the 1857 Court of Probate Act, which transferred the responsibility for administering estates from the church to the state. The calendar books do not give a breakdown of individual bequests, but summarise the dead person’s total estate, the date and place of death and – in some cases – the chief recipients. Many of the records provide cryptic hints to major historical events. Edward John Smith was one of dozens of people listed as being “lost at sea” in 1912. He was the captain of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. Dan Jones, international content director of Ancestry.co.uk, said: “The probate calendar books provide countless new leads for family historians to explore as they move beyond being about family members to long-gone fortunes, mysterious beneficiaries and valuable objects – all with connections back to our ancestors just waiting to be explored.

“Anyone able to find an ancestor in the probate calendar books will be able to find out a great deal about how their ancestor lived, what they bequeathed and to whom – meaning we will be able to find out so much more about what their lives would have been like.”

Question: On board which ship did explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton die in 1922?
Answer: Quest